Portable communication devices, such as a cell phones and personal digital assistants have become increasingly common in recent years. Further, these devices have grown in complexity, incorporating numerous features, such as wireless data communication (e.g., web browsing, instant messaging, etc.) and media players (e.g., MP3 player and video player). Thus, while a user once had to carry separate cell phone, PDA, and media player devices in order to be able to engage in cell phone communications, maintain schedule and contact information, and listen to music, the user can now conveniently carry a single device that includes all of those functions, among others.
Unfortunately, however, the battery power on these portable devices is limited, and so a user must often charge the device. While this has always been a problem, the problem has become more acute as the portable devices have become more complex and as the devices (and thus their batteries) have become smaller. Consequently, although a user may benefit greatly from having an integrated portable device instead of numerous separate devices, the user now bears the increased burden to charge the portable device more often. An improvement is therefore desired.